The present invention relates to a connector, in particular, to a connector that is attached to an end portion of a coaxial cable.
A connector for connection with a coaxial cable has been conventionally used, and JP 2004-186057 A, for example, discloses a connector as illustrated in FIG. 17. The connector includes a connector body 1 and a cable connecting portion cover 2, and the connector body 1 is configured such that a central contact 5 is held inside an outer conductor shell 3 via a holder 4 made of an insulating material. Meanwhile, a coaxial cable 6 is configured such that an insulator 8 covers an outer periphery of a central conductor 7 while an outer conductor 9 and a casing cover an outer periphery of the insulator 8.
A cylindrical outer conductor connecting portion 3A provided in the outer conductor shell 3 is inserted between the insulator 8 and the outer conductor 9 of the coaxial cable 6 so as to be electrically connected to the outer conductor 9, and the central conductor 7 of the coaxial cable 6 is soldered to the central contact 5 through a solder window 3B formed in the outer conductor shell 3, followed by attachment of the cable connecting portion cover 2 to the connector body 1.
The connector disclosed in JP 2004-186057 A, however, requires terminal processing to remove a portion of the insulator 8 at the front end of the coaxial cable 6 such that a predetermined length of the central conductor 7 is exposed before the outer conductor shell 3 is connected to the front end of the coaxial cable 6, and requires a dedicated terminal processing machine, for example, since the insulator 8 and the central conductor 7 do not provide a guide for a cutting position. Accordingly, there is a problem that it is difficult to attach the coaxial cable 6 to the connector at a site where connection of the coaxial cable 6 is carried out.
In addition, while the coaxial cable 6 has a rotationally symmetric configuration about the central axis, the elongated coaxial cable 6 typically has a curl. Accordingly, when the outer conductor shell 3 is attached to the front end of the coaxial cable 6, the solder window 3B of the outer conductor shell 3 does not always face in a direction allowing easy soldering work. Moreover, since the outer conductor connecting portion 3A of the outer conductor shell 3 is inserted between the insulator 8 and the outer conductor 9 of the coaxial cable 6 and is electrically connected to the outer conductor 9, it is difficult for the outer conductor shell 3 attached to the front end of the coaxial cable 6 to be rotated with respect to the coaxial cable 6. Accordingly, the soldering work to solder the central contact 5 to the central conductor 7 of the coaxial cable 6 through the solder window 3B of the outer conductor shell 3 may be difficult.